Recreational and Commercial Catfishing Injuries: A Review of the Literature

Pleisiomonas shigelloides bacteremia after catfish injury

This case of Pleisimonas shigelloides bacteremia resulting after a catfish barb injury highlights an unusual presentation of a common condition that requires alternative therapy for successful treatment. An otherwise healthy male in his early 40s presented to the emergency department with sepsis and rapidly spreading cellulitis shortly after a catfish injury at a freshwater lake. His broad-spectrum antibiotics were narrowed to ciprofloxacin when P. shigelloides grew from his blood culture. The case presents a unique mode of bacteremia, as usually P. shigelloides bacteremia develops in immunocompromised hosts after bowel wall translocation. The venomous nature of catfish barbs also contributed to the severity and rapidity of his presentation secondary to the local tissue effects of envenomation. With proper antibiotics and supportive care, he made a full recovery.

Emergency Management Strategies and Antimicrobial Considerations for Nonmammalian Marine Vertebrate Penetrating Trauma in North America, the Caribbean, and Hawaii: A Review Article

There are numerous emergency department visits in the United States for all types of marine animal injuries each year. These injuries may result in significant morbidity or mortality if not managed appropriately. Accurate identification of the offending species, thorough wound hygiene, and judicious use of antibiotics are important for preventing infections. This review aims to describe management strategies and antimicrobial considerations for nonmammalian marine vertebrate penetrating trauma in North America, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. A literature search was performed to identify studies on this subject. This literature consisted of clinical case reports and case series. Reports extracted included those on sharks, barracuda, eels, catfish, stingrays, lionfish, stonefish, and scorpionfish. The majority of reported trauma occurred to beachgoers, fishermen, or commercial aquarium employees who routinely handle these animals. Injury patterns depended on the species but most commonly affected the lower extremities. Infections were seen from saltwater bacteria, human skin flora, or marine animal oral flora. After thorough wound irrigation and exploration, most authors recommended prophylactic antimicrobials to cover Vibrio species, in addition to other gram-negative and gram-positive species. The literature is notable for the lack of controlled studies. Some authors recommended radiographic and/or ultrasonographic imaging to identify retained foreign bodies, such as spines, sand, or teeth.

Intraosseous Catfish Barb Treated With Cannulated Drill in a Pediatric Patient

Catfish injuries to the upper extremity following fishing activities are common in the southern United States, especially because noodling is commonplace in this region. Noodling is when a fisher will stick their hand into an area where a catfish is guarding its eggs and grab the catfish by its mouth. Different mechanisms of injury, including envenomation and spine embedment, can occur and ultimately lead to different patient presentations, including the retention of foreign bodies or infection. Literature reviews of catfish injuries primarily report the retention of foreign bodies within soft tissues, infection, and envenomation. We present the first case report of a patient who sustained a ring finger proximal phalangeal physeal injury involving the growth cartilage caused by a penetration injury from a catfish barb. A novel method for safely extracting these barbs with no subsequent growth arrest or range of motion limitation is also presented.

Catfish Bite Case Report

Although catfish are found worldwide and commonly consumed in the southern United States, fatal infections from catfish are rare. Edwardsiella tarda is a bacterium known to cause gastrointestinal distress most commonly, but extraintestinal infections are a rarely considered danger for those acquiring, preparing, and consuming aquatic animals. Susceptible to all gram-negative active antibiotics, it is easily treated except in immunocompromised hosts, such as those with malignancy, diabetes, and hepatic dysfunction.